View Single Post
  #3  
Old 08-28-2012, 11:38 AM
catnthehat's Avatar
catnthehat catnthehat is online now
 
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: Ft. McMurray
Posts: 38,527
Default

So, after we seat the primer (this can be done on a single stage press as well , as long as you have a quarter or loonie on the die base), it's time to put in the powder.
On a 12 bore gun, most fellas load between 80 and 90 grains of FFG or FG and an equal amount of shot.
The difference betwen FG anf FFG is the burn rate, FFG burns faster and many shooters like the slower powder but put more in.
There are tables availabe through Lyman, Hodgdon, BPI, and other sites as well.

I will post some data later on that.
I also use the same amount of shot by volume, and an easy way to figure out what you want to use is take the powder charge, and weigh the shot that will go into the same charger.
That will give you a good idea of what you are shooting.

After we drop in the powder charge, a nitro card wad goes on top, and I also use a lubed cushion wad here.
On top of the lubed wad palce a .035 wad to stop the inbedding of shot intro the cushion wad, same as the muzzle loaders.
thge wad is then compressed with the dowel, and the shot charge measuered and dropped in.

After tha, another .035 wad is placed over the shot , pushed down with the dowel, and if am shootign right away ,i don't glue it.
HOWEVER, if i am goig to shoot the shell later, the overshot wad will be glued.
Now have used almost everthing under the sun to glue these in, for the old waterglass glue to the newest hi-tech stuff, and have found Elmer's white glue about as good as anything.
Spray contact cement is also good, as is the Tremclad primer paint spray - one shot and let it sit.

After the glue has dried the shell can be bounced around in the shll bag or your pocket without fear of losing the shot.

DEBATES ON WAD COLLUMS:
Now some shooters say that you MUST make up all the difference you can in the case with wads, and they say this for several reasons.
te first, and like;ly the most resonable, is so that the powder charge does not enter the chamber of the gun until the shot charge is into the forcing cone of the barrel, the idea being that a loss of woer results.
The second, is that you need to cushion the shot.

I have shot both full brass cases, and cases with only a small wad collumn and have seen no difference in the killing power of either.
As far as the second idea goes, it's pure hogwash IMO, because if you look at the modern ammo , the pressures are far greater, and many of the wad cups have a base that is not cushioned AT ALL!
The federal top Guns and winchester Universals are examples of this
The biggest reason for exact wad height is to make up the difference for when we load the paper cases, but more on that later..
__________________
Anytime I figure I've got this long range thing figured out, I just strap into the sling and irons and remind myself that I don't!

Last edited by catnthehat; 08-28-2012 at 11:51 AM.
Reply With Quote